TRP: Luci and Roddy (Eilistraee)
Izzy: Morning 218 at the Baker Manor. Luci hadn't slept well, but she'd slept enough. The big house made her uncomfortable with its unfamiliarity, but she was trying to be ... better with unfamiliar places and things and people. She was trying to be braver. There were enough people she knew and at least somewhat trusted around that she should -- she told herself -- be fine. She tracked down Jonn skulking around the dark dining room and pulled him to come sit with her, and fell asleep in a corner, leaning against his shoulder. He was out of sorts and wandered off when they woke up, and she didn't know what to do for him -- Hansel usually handled this sort of thing, and he was ... busy. So she kept to herself in the little corner of the library, and carefully set up a dark blue candle and a white candle, and crossed her legs with her staff across her knees, and closed her eyes. She'd pray on her spells for the day, and she'd ask for guidance with Jonn, while she was at it. And help for all of them, in the coming days. Abby: ''' Roddy was wandering around, yawning and rubbing his eyes. Too early for this. Roddy should go start making some coffee, that sounded nice. Now which way was the kitchen again...? Well, he took a wrong turn and ended up in the library instead. Thought about continuing his search, but he spied movement back in the corner. Luci, it looked like. Hey he should go talk to her, check up with his lil sis. "Hey Luci!" he called, subdued due to the early hour. "Watcha up to?" he asked, sliding down next to her, but leaving a little distance. She only tolerated the hugs, and he was trying to get better at interacting with her. Despite the fact it was kinda awkward and stilted. '''Izzy: She twitched a little, startled from her silent Celestial recitations, and had a brief moment of internal panic before remembering -- or realizing, or deciding -- that Roddy was safe. Everyone here was probably safe. No one was going to rat her out, and -- and even if they did, Mishka said she had a place at the castle. "Um." She faltered a little anyway. "Um, just praying. For spells. You know, cleric, um, stuff." Abby: ''' Huh. Luci seemed a bit more awkward than usual. Time for reassurances, big brother Roddy style! "Hey good for you. Too bad there's no pond to throw weapons in around here," Roddy joked. "Although there are marshes. Hey would that work? For your Eldath- stuff?" '''Izzy: She managed a little smile. That had been kind of fun. She missed that, a bit. "Um." What was Eldath's stance on marshes? It was, she supposed, a body of water. "Um, you know, I'm not sure?" She fidgeted a little and glanced down. Even she knew how shady she was acting, so she just blurted it out: "I actually stopped following Eldath. Don't -- don't mention it to anyone. It's kind of a secret." Abby: ''' Oh. Well. That was a surprise. "I won't," Roddy said quickly. Pressed his palms firmly against his legs, resisting the urge to pull her into a hug. "Do you uh, do you mind if I ask why?" he asked slowly. '''Izzy: "Mmm." She bit her lips together. "Eldath teaches non-violence, and I think that ... you should always try to solve problems without resorting to barbarity." She paused. "But I also think that -- just lying down and allowing yourself to be killed, or -- or allowing other defenseless people to be suffer through your inaction -- I don't think that's ... good." Abby: ''' "Oh well. Yeah," Roddy nodded. "I mean. Pacifism sounds nice. In theory. But I've seen too much, and done to much to think it's... practical," he said, scratching the back of his neck. "I'm glad you got a better god now, for you," he said, patting her shoulder. (Hey wait, didn't Roddy need a new god too?) '''Izzy: She nodded. "Mmhm." She guessed Roddy had seen a lot more than she had, and she'd seen ... enough. It had been a worrisome thought in the back of her head for a long time -- years, now -- ever since trolls had attacked the Sanctuary, and the adult clerics had been content to lock up the doors, board up the windows, and pray. If Eldath had helped them then, it had been through Jonn forcing the people who were supposed to be taking care of them into actually doing it. "Um. Um, you follow Helm, right?" She had read some troubling things about Helm, suspicion from the times of the Calamity. He was a good deity, though. Sturdy. Protective. If he was -- alive. Abby: ''' "Oh well. Used to. And then Joan told me a story about he's probably dead," Roddy said. Might have been for the best though. He wasn't a particularly good follower of Helm. '''Izzy: "Oh." That was kind of a relief. "I, um, heard that, too. Well, I read it. Um, all speculation, anyway. I didn't know." She chewed on her lip. "I did a lot of reading and research on deities when I lost my faith in Eldath, if you want ... guidance?" Abby: ''' Roddy squinted at Luci for a second. Did she know about Helm before Roddy had- you know what that didn't matter. His little sister was offering to help, that was very sweet, and Roddy was absolutely gonna taker her up on it. "I'd appreciate it," Roddy said, smiling slightly. "I'd be interested in hearing about your new god. If you want to talk about them." '''Izzy: She was still nervous about it, and looked down at her candles for a moment. It would be easier to talk to him as a scholar, about all the gods she'd read about. She thought he might like Tyr or Bahamut, or Oghma or Milil, or Mystra. One of the gods Hansel favored, or swore to, at least -- probably not Valkur, but Silvanus maybe, or Selune. "Um," she said yet again, over her chewed lip. "Um, well. Eilistraee is a drow goddess. She's ... sort of a mother? A protector. She's, um. She stands for things like harmony and justice and -- she fights for people who need it. Who no one else is fighting for. She helps people, and she's kind, and ... a little sad, but she tries to spread joy." She picked at her sleeve, looking down. "And I like her because she loves music, and that made me think of you and Jonn -- he and I used to play the piano together, at the Sanctuary. And she's a moon goddess, like Shar and Selune, and Jonn and Hansel like them." Abby: ''' Aww. Luci was so sweet. Roddy grinned widely, almost vibrating with the effort to not swamp Luci in hugs. "Eilistraee," Roddy sounded the name out. "She sounds nice. Sounds like someone worth following." But did Roddy want to follow her too? Hm. "Hey, y'know, I don't know much about gods," he said. "And, as nice as she sounds, not sure I want to just- hop on the first bandwagon that comes along. So. Smart lil sister," he said, giving a teasing grin and poking her side, "I bet you know a bunch of other gods to talk about too huh?" '''Izzy: Luci perked up, nodding, fidgeting again, but in a different way. She ummed a couple more times, getting her thoughts back together, then started talking excitedly, counting off on her fingers. "There's -- there's Tyr, he's a little like Helm. He's about justice and his domains are order and war. I think he might be a little too ..." She searched for a tactful word, looking around. "A little too orderly? For adventurers? I know you have to do things sometimes that aren't great, but for the greater good. And there's Bahamut, he's a protector, and he likes songs and talking over battle, like Eilistraee -- um, and he's a dragon. "Milil and Oghma are bard gods and I don't know a lot about them, but, um -- Oghma is all about collecting knowledge, I like him. Milil is more about creativity. I can do some research about him for you, if you want." She realized abruptly that she was talking a lot, and stopped. Sometimes people found that annoying, and other times she just said too much at once and they needed time to process it all. So she quieted down and watched Roddy a little apprehensively, waiting to see which one it'd be, still bright-eyed. Abby: ''' Huh Roddy kinda wished he'd grabbed his journal. Luci was smart, had a lot of knowledge in her noggin. That sort of stuff tended to slide right out of Roddy's. He nodded along as she rambled. (Had to look away too, all of a sudden she looked so much like Jonn. Better concentrate on the voice.) "Okay, yeah, orderly, not my style," he said. "Dragon-- don't like them that much. We're gonna--" wait nope. Secret. Roddy wasn't gonna finish that thought. "Bard gods though huh. I hadn't thought about that. I'm not that good at the, knowledge stuff," he said wryly, "but that other one. What was his name. Might be more my thing. I'd appreciate you looking him up more, yeah." '''Izzy: She bounced a little in place excitedly. "Milil. I will when I get back to the Sanctuary." She bit her lip against a smile. "I thought you'd like him when I read about him." Abby: ''' "Milil, yeah," Roddy repeated. He was gonna jot notes down in his journal. "Made a good call then," he said, grinning. Was this the most he'd ever heard Luci talk? Roddy suspected it was. This was great! Who knew asking Luci about gods was such a good way to get her talking. '''Izzy: Luci nodded again, pleased, and ... she didn't know what else to say, so she just kind of kept going with what she'd been saying. "Um, uh, I also learned about Silvanus, because Hansel mentions him sometimes -- um, well, swears to him mostly. He's called the Oak Father and that -- kind of makes me think of Hansel, too. He's the god of the wild forests, and a lot of wood elves worship him, and druids. And Chauntea is his counterpart, the Earth Mother, and she's the goddess of the tamed wilds, and farming." She kept bouncing her knees, and started twisting her hands together, too, looking up at the ceiling the think. "I like Selune, too -- she's a moon goddess too, and Hansel used to bring us little trinkets blessed by her clerics -- she's, um, actually enemies with Shar, though, Jonn's goddess. But she's very wise and she looks over relationships between people, and guides sailors and wanderers home." She looked down, feeling awkward suddenly. "I like her a lot." Abby: ''' Wow. Roddy had probably learned more about gods in five minutes than he had in- eighteen years. Luci knew her stuff. "Hey, hey," he said, reaching over and nudging her arm. "S'okay. It's- neat. How you read about all that stuff and remember it. Goes in one ear and out the other for me," he said giving a little shrug. "Selune does sound nice. We could all use a little guidance now and then right? Or in the case of this big doofus tortle, a lot." '''Izzy: She nodded, chewing on her lip. The thing was that -- she'd felt a certain pull to Selune, but Selune and Shar were sisters, and enemies, and she didn't want her goddess to be enemies with her brother's goddess. But she didn't want to say that out loud, and make it real. "Selune is good," she said firmly. "I thought about entreating her aid with -- uh, Hansel's problem, but I'm hopeful that Eilistraee will help us fight, too." Abby: ''' "Oh uh. Yeah." Roddy shifted slightly. "Y'know before now I've just been trying to- not get too noticed by my god. Steal from people, follow a law god- it wasn't a good match. Guess now that praying might be useful. Huh." '''Izzy: "I did, um, question you following Helm, a bit," she admitted. "It seemed rude to say anything. There are gods like Mask and Shar, though, too, for, um. Sneaky types. I know a little about them." She bet Goro knew more. Or maybe only about Mask -- she had no idea, really. Jonn probably couldn't tell Roddy much about Shar, though. Abby: ''' "Someone I was close with, at the circus, followed Helm. He taught me about it." Roddy glanced down at the ground, fiddling with the hem of his sleeve. "He died. I stuck with it out of- habit and spite I guess." He glanced back up. "I don't think I've been a sneaky type for a while," he said thoughtfully. "I don't think I'd mind giving it up completely." '''Izzy: "Oh," she said brightly. She had already been listing trickster gods in her head (Vhaeraun? He was Eilistraee's brother, but ... he wasn't nice, he didn't fit Roddy; Beshaba, neither; maybe Lady Luck?), but that was even better. She tried to tamp it down, though. "I mean, whatever path calls to you is the one you should follow," she resolved. "Jonn is sneaky and I love him, and Hansel is a pirate, and I won't judge you if you feel most comfortable following a trickster god." Goro was shady, too, and she liked him, and Mishka, but she didn't feel that citing them would make her point as solidly. Abby: ''' Roddy hummed lightly, thinking about that. Trickery had been a big part of his life for- most of it, really. He'd learned some good tricks. But at the end of the day? "I was a thief because I had to be," he said slowly. "And now that I don't have to anymore, I've quit. I like adventuring. It's dangerous but it pays good." But what path did he feel drawn to? That was a little harder. "Might need to think about that one a bit more though," he said. "But hey I know exactly who to come to when I got questions about this or that," he said, grinning at Luci. '''Izzy: She gave a pleased hum and beamed at him. "I'd be really happy to help." Abby: ''' Aw. Luci did smile! Roddy had to try and get that out of her more. "In the meantime," he said, glancing at her little altar. "You doing any ritual stuff a non-cleric can join in with?" '''Izzy: "Oh, um." She looked down at her candles. She was accustomed to serene meditation, following Eldath, but ... "Maybe a little music? Something quiet." After thinking a second, she added, "And Eilistraee is worshipped with feasts, so then we can have breakfast, and that will count, too." Izzy: END Title: Eilistraee. Summary: Roddy joins Luci in her morning meditations, and they talk about gods. Category:Text Roleplay